Home Again, Home Again, Jiggaty Jig!

After 463 days my European adventure came to an end. On Wednesday December 20 I boarded a bus at 8am in Galway to begin the long journey home. Millions of tears, lots of hugs, 21 hours, 3 planes, 1 bus, and 1 inter-airport train later, I met my sign-bearing family at the Thunder Bay airport. It was an amazing journey and I will carry the memories and the friends that I made with me for the rest of my life. I can't believe its over and that for the first time in my life I really have NO plan, but I guess that just means I am in for a whole new adventure. Thank you to everyone I met over the last year and a bit, you made it all better than I could have ever imagined. I don't know where I am going to end up in the long term, but if anyone wants to come and visit just send me an email...my door is always open to anyone! I love you all!

PS I think I might keep up with the blog so check back once in a while to see if there is anything new!!!

One final blow-out!

It's sad to say but my time in Ireland had to come to an end. I absolutely loved it and will always treasure my memories. Fortunately before I left there were two fun nights out with my friends to celebrate all the friendships I made and all the fun I had.

The first night was on Saturday. I cooked up some food including chicken fingers, mini-quiches, Indian snacks, and potato baskets, put out some chips (including the left over ketchup chips!), bought lots of booze and opened the door. Louisa, PJ, Rosa, Sheila, Dierdre, Anne, Cliona, and Connor all came over to the house to snack and chat and drink some drinks (we also watched the last few minutes of X-factor and heard that Leona won, big surprise there). It was amazing to have everyone over. Then we headed into town to Massimo's Bar where we met with Gwenda and her new boy, and had some more drinks. Finally we realize it was time to move on and headed for the Warrick for the last time. Orla, Cliona, Sheila and I were all able to skip the queue and get in for free (thanks Sheila!) and headed straight for the bar. We danced, we chatted, and we drank some more! So many good laughs! At the end of the night we just didn't want it all to end so we went to a party where we ate some pasta (OK, just I ate the pasta, but I was SO hungry!) and drank some brutally yucky sparkling wine. Orla and I finally poured ourselves into bed at 5am. The perfect end to a fabulous evening.

Part two for me took place on Monday night. I met with Olivia, Alan, and Maura in town at the Front Door and we had a few drinks....I feel like all my stories about going out start with 'we had a few drinks'...but I guess that is the way that all good nights start out...anyway, had some drinks then moved onto Tafft's Pub for some more. There was a band playing and Podge & Rodge were on the TV, so I was over loaded with Irish entertainment. Finally the pub kicked us out and Olivia and Maura had a hankering for some nacho fries so we walked up to Abrakababra to get some (Maura said they are the best...i have to agree...so yummy!). If you have never been to Abrakababra in Eyre Square in Galway (and I'm sure the majority of you haven't) then you would know that the washroom is in the basement....and I really had to go...so I start to walk down the stairs and I am wearing my new silver shoes and they are really slippery and I slip on the ceramic stairs and fall down the stairs on my arse....it hurt A LOT! I still have a huge black bruise on my bum...so painful!!!!

So those were my last two night out on the town...so fun and I will miss my nights out with all of you!

PS Thanks Heidi for all the little Canada flag toothpicks! They just made the party food! And thanks to work (Cliona!) for the gorgeous flowers! I LOVED THEM!!!!!

Dinner with Work Mates

It seems that much like Canada, in Ireland everything is celebrated with dinner. So it was no surprise that for the night before my last day at work we all decided to go out for dinner. Cliona, Connor, Stephen, Helen and I went to a place in town called Oscar's. The food was super yummy, if a little dear, but the amazing thing was the presentation. Here are some pics of my fish cakes, and the deserts we had. The couple is Stephen and Helen who I wanted to include because I didn't have any pictures of them on my blog yet. Stephen is the orthotist in the office and Helen is his fiancee and the woman taking over for me!

The Last Dinner

My wonderful roommates (or housemates as Orla prefers to be called) decided to get together and make me a final dinner before I headed home. It was a group effort of chicken, sweet potatoes, cous cous stuffing, and wine. As a desert Sinead made us a fruit and meringue mountain. I was supposed to bring the wine but didn't have time because I couldn't get the door locked at work...but thank goodness we had some supplies at the house!

My New Man!

So its finally happened! I have fallen in love with an Irishman! His name is Axel and we met through work and are SO happy together! He's such a great listener even when I ramble on and on for hours! We seem meant to be together because he has a tendency to be a little clumsy, just like me! How Perfect are we for each other! There is some worry that I won't be able to bring him home with me (luggage ristrictions and all) but keeping postive and my fingers crossed! I just can't wait for everyone at home to meet him!

Bringing Back the 80s!

I was just hanging out at home one evening and my hair was really annoying me so I put it up in this hott style...its a throw back to the side ponytail with a little extra flair in that its looped over...I know its going to be all the rage on the runways next spring. I am SUCH a fashion icon!

So Classie!

That's Classie with an 'ie' because I'm just not classy enough for the 'y' yet, but I'm working on it! Friday night was our Christmas party in Cork so I'd thought I'd share a few pictures with you and explain why I am soooo classie! Cliona and I closed the office early on Friday and took a cab out to the airport...Galway Airport...and took a plane down to Cork. The airport is quite small... smaller than the Hamilton aiport if you have ever been there! But this was the first example of how classie I am...instead of using my backpack I borrowed my roommates wheeled luggage and felt so chic! The flight was only half an hour so we barely had time for a drink and our free newspaper! When we arrived in Cork we had a nice little conversation with a woman who had had a few too many drinks on the flight, and then took a cab out to our Hotel...no buses for us! See...Classie! We each had our own room, and I had intended to have a quick Disco Nap, but was too excited about the room! I used the TV to browse the internet, listened to some music, took a shower with all my free AVEDA products (YES...AVEDA!!!), and lounged around in my free robe and slippers!









Before dinner everyone met in the Hotel Bar for some drinks, and of course we were then late for dinner. But thankfully the restaurant was right across the street! Wasn't far to walk at all! The food was super yummy...I had the chicken spring roll, the beef (rare and bloody! mmmmm), and then date pudding and ice cream...and of course copious amounts of wine! I was much better than I was in Dublin though...no getting sick and crawling into bed just after midnight for me! After our 3 and a half hour dinner we were going to go to a pub so walked all the way over there only to discover it was closed...so we walked all the way back to the hotle and had some drinks in the residents bar. So fun! Donna and Gerry, with Olivia and Tom accompaning them, sang us a bunch of songs and kept us entertained until early in the morning.










The sun was bright and shinny Saturday morning when I rolled out of bed and met Cliona to catch the bus back to Galway. We weren't sick at all (see...I am SO Classie!) and managed to get a little snooze in. Back in Galway on Saturday night we were out again at a concert and I have to be honest, got a little messy...but it was great fun!

Just another two weeks in Galway, and although i am excited to see people at home, it is going to be really hard to leave! I have met so many great people! But I've put the message out there... anyone that wants to come visit me in Canada is more than welcome!!!! I LOVE playing tour guide!